Refrigerator door latch



Jam 5; 1932. w. M. HERscH ET A1. 1,840,163

REFRIGERATOR DOOR LATCH Filed Jan. 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan- 5, 1932 w. M. HERscH ET AL 1,840,163

REFRIGERATOR DOOR LATCH Filed Jan. 14,v 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 5, 1932` ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM MATIS HERSCH AND CHRISTOPHER JOHN ANDERSON, F` STREATOB, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO STREATOR COLD STORAGE DOOR CO., 0F STREATOR,

ILLINOIS nnrnrennnron noon LATCH l Application filed January 14, 1928. Serial No. 246,833.

This invention relates to improvements in ed to use in connection with refrigerators or other cold storage structures, although not limited to this use.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction of fastener or latch mechanism whereby the door may be unlatched and moved in open position by the operator either from within or without the refrigerator, thereby preventing a person from being locked in the refrigerator, both mechanismsserving to retract a slidable bolt from engagement with its striking bracket so that the door may be opened.

Another object of the invention is to permit the slidable bolt to be engaged with the striking bracket automatically when the door is closed and automatically fastened, this movement being permitted without swinging the hand grip or actuating the handle during the closing action. f

Another and more particular object of the invention is to provide a novel and simple construction in which all of the Working parts are enclosed to protect the same from dirt or foreign matter and in which a handle is provided for actuating the slidable bolt and has pivoted thereto, an arm or toggle which has engagement with the slidable Vbolt so as to permit retraction of the latter by operation of the hand grip or by operation of a push rod from within the refrigera- Jfor and extending through the wall thereof for connection to the handle, said arm or toggle, however, constituting no part of the handle itself or per se but being engaged by the handle when the latteris operated to retract the slidable bolt so that the door may be opened and at the same time permit the slidable bolt to be retracted against the action of its spring when automatically engaging with the striking bracket without ac tuatingor swinging the handle out, the arm or toggle moving with the slidable bolt on its pivot in this operation independently of the handle or any part thereof.

Another important feature is that the arm or toggle is engaged with the slidable bolt and not one end of the handle as in prior devices, this not only facilitating manufacture and assemblage of the )arts but obviating any possibility of acci ental movement of the handle during the retraction of the slidable bolt but insuring positive connection between the' handle and the slidable bolt when the latter is operated to retract the slidablc bolt through the medium of said arm or toggle connection.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of/certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more particularly pointed out and described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a sectional plan View showing the improved refrigerator door fastener or latch mechanism applied to the door and Wall of a refrigerator constituting one use of the device.

Figure 2 is a. front elevation of the device shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a fra entary view in horizontal section of the enice shown in Figure 1, the same being taken on the section line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an inside elevation of the device detached from the door as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an `enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on'the section line 5--5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an arm or toggle employed in connection with a handle for providing operative connection thereof with the slidable bolt.

Referring to the drawings in detail in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the 'several views, 6 designates the wall of the refrigerntor or other cabinet and 'i' a door cooperating therewith at the step faces 8. A striking bracket 9 is fastened to the wall 6 as indicated at l0 through the medium of a plate ll adjacent the door opening, the striking bracket containing a curved concaved recess 12 and with oppositely beveled faces i3 and 14, the former face being preferably disposed at a sharper angle from the high point or apenr than the face 14. and the face i3 continuing from the concaved recess l2 and sloping inwardly while the face 14 slopes outwardly to cooperate with a roller 15 carried by the free end of a slidable bolt 16 and rotatable on the pivot 17 extending verticall f through spaced ears or jaws 18 of said sli able bolt.

The latch or fastener mechanism roper includes a supporting plate 19 pre erably made with an integral enclosing casing 20 outstanding or project-ing forwardly therefroln at right angles and the plate has apertured corner ears 21 at each end and extending above and below for securing the plate and casing to the face of the door 7 applied thereto through the medium of suitable fastenings such as screws, bolts or the like 22. The late 19 is further provided with upper and ower horizontal longitudinal slots 23 near the outer end and an outwardly projecting longitudinal apertured ear 24 at the extreme end, all for purposes to be hereinafter more fully described. The casing 2() has a reduced portion 25 between the slots 23 toward the outer end of the casing and the opposite end of the enlarged or standard main portion of the casing is provided with an opening 26 preferably of rectangular shafpe, which, however, is made in the form o a groove or slot opening at the inner side of the Casin which latter is otherwise freely open at t e inside or back between the top and bottom walls as indicated at 27. A retaining plate 28 is disposed across the inner portion of the slot or opening 26 and has reduced end portions 29, that is of less thickness than the plate proper fitted in rabbets or grooves 30 on the inner face of the casing 20 and apertured to receive fastening screws or the like 31 in threaded sockets 32 in the top and bottom walls of the casing 20. This structure rovides a convenient means of inserting the slidable bolt 16 within the casing before the plate 28 is applied, and after the plate is applied the slidable bolt is positively guided in itsl movement and held from displacement. However, by removing the plate 28 the slid able bolt may be easily removed.

The slidable bolt 16 is provided with an intermediately enlarged portion 33 having a slot 34 and the remaining outer end of the slidable bolt is preferably of circular or round cross section as indicated at 35 to take an expansion coil spring 36 which acts against the enlarged portion 33 by reason of the shoulders thus provided intermediately of the ends of the slidable bolt and also against the opposite end wall 37 of the casing which has an opening 38 slidably receiving the slidable bolt therethrough. This serves as means for projecting the slidable bolt into engagement with the striking bracket but permits the slidable bolt to be retracted or to automatically retract by engagement with the inclined surface 14 on the outer portion of the striking bracket to swing the arm or toggle 50 in opening 45 free of movement of the handle 41 until the roller 15 is moved into the notch or recess 12 to retain the door in closed position.

The front of the casing 20 at its enlarged portion is provided with a vertical opening or slot 39 in the convexly curved or outwardly convexed or bulging front portion and projecting top and bottom apertured ears 40 between which a handle 41 is pivoted at its extreme inner end on a pin or screw 42 held in position by a supplementary fastening screw 43 engaging in one end of the screw 42 as shown more particularly7 in Figure 4 of the drawings. The handle 41 has an enlarged portion 44 fitting the opening or recess 39 and is recessed, cut away or hollowed out at its inner face in cup-sha ed fashion indicated at 45 with an angular` y extending wall 46 and its opposite wall 47 normally spaced from the arm or toggle and disposed in back or outwardly of the adjacent end 48 of the casing wall at its outer side .inwardly of or beyond the reduced portion 25. The free end of the handle is curved to form a hand grip 49 extending beyond the outer end of the casing. An arm or toggle 50 has a transverse sleeve 51 at its outer end loosely pivoted on the pin 42 and fitting snugly between the top and bottom walls of the recessed portion 46 at the pivoted end of the handle and extends inwardly where its relatively circular or rounded free end 52 movably engages inthe longitudinal slot 34 provided in the slidable bolt 16 so that the arm or toggle is adapted to engage the opposite ends of the slot facing toward and away from the striking bracket, respectively. The arm or toggle 50 has a tapered formed edge projection or shoulder 53 adapted to contact with the inner wall of the inner face or side 46 so that when the handle is swung outward from the solid line position shown in Figure 1 when the device is normally operative to fastener or latch the door to the dotted line position to retract the slidable bolt, the face 46 will engage the outer edge of the projection 53 and impart movement to the loosely pivoted arm or toggle 50 to cause the latter to engage the inner end of the slot 34 or that facing the striking bracket, and from which it is' normally slightly spaced to permit the slidable bolt roller to positively engage the striking bracket under the action of its spring, to retract the slidable bolt against the action of the spring 36 which normally projects the slidable bolt. Of course, when the spring reacts, it will move the arm or toggle in the opposite direction and force the slidable bolt into engaging position without limitation by the arm or toggle 50 owing to the spacing of the latter from the inner end of the slot 34 facing the striking bracket and return the handle to its normal position by reason of the projection 53 engaging the face 46 but in the event that the slidable bolt is moved in-l wardl as by automatic engagement of the slidab e bolt with the striking bracket when the door is closed, the slidable bolt will be retracted and swing the arm or toggle independcntl ofthe handle on its pivot 42 by reason o the space allowed between the arm or toggle and the face or shoulder 47, the projection 53 moving away from the face 46 so that while there will be no movement of the handle itself, there will be a movement of the arm or toggle 50 independently of the handle or any part thereof and the handle will bel prevented from swinging outward. Thus, the arm or toggle 50 and the slidable bolt may move independently of the handle during the retraction or projection of the bolt without swinging the handle 21. Of course, the handle 41 may be pulled out when closing the door.

The mechanism also comprises a push rod 54 which is shown pivotly connected to the handle 41 through the medium of a vertically apertured projection 4l inwardly of the handle as indicated at 55 and extends inwardly therefrom through an opening 56 in the door 7 and through one of the slots 23, preferably the upper slot. The provision of the two slots 23 above and below provides for the operation of the device in connection with ri ht and left hand doors, the push rod being isposed at the top or bottom as desired so as to operate on the reduced portion 25 of the casing although not necessarily in contact therewith. As shown, the free end 'of the push rod is bent at right angles downwardly or upwardly according to which slot it engages as indicated at 57 in order to engage the opening part or projection 41 limits the inward movement of the handle and the retraction of the slidable bolt by engagement with the outer face of the reduced portion 25 of the casing 19. A plate 58 is secured to the inner face of the door 7 around the openin 56 and is apertured to receive the ush ro 54 with an intermediate rubber or ike packing washer 59 seated in the recessed inner face of the plate, which latter is secured in position by screws or the like 60 engaging apertures in said plate. A knob 61 is also preferably detacha push rod 54 as by providing the knob with an internally threaded socket extension 62 receiving the threaded rod at its inner end.

is adapted to receive a padlock or the like 64 which owing to its location over the outer end ofthe slidable bolt 16-at its circular portion 35, will revent retraction of the slidable bolt and loc the door in a closed position a ainst surreptitious access to prevent theft o the contents, especially at night, should this be desired. Obviously, the padlock disposed in .this position will prevent retraction of the slidable bolt and its disengagement 55 of` the handle and the ly secured to the inner end of thev gortion 63 of lthe push he apertured ear 24l from the striking bracket. Howeverrl 64 lis not in position, it is only necessary to grasp the hand grip 49v of the handle 41 and pull the same outwardly from the full line position as shown in Figure 1 to the dotted line position shown in said figurewhen the engagement vof the face 46 with the projection 53 of the arm or toggle 50 will cause the latter toswing and by engagement with the end wall of the slot34 facing toward the striking bracket, retract the bolt by slid- I ing it longitudinally in its bearings in the casing or supporting plate, against the action of the spring 36. However, the beveled faces 13 and 14 will permit automatic engagement of the roller lot' the slidable bolt with the recess or notch 12 when the door is closed and permit retraction of the bolt against the action of' the spring 36 automaticall without operating the handle 41 exce t w en open-` over the highest point of the slidable bolt into the notch 16 by reason of the inclined face 13 tapering or beveling in the opposite direction. In this position, the door will be tightly held in'a closed position. An important feature of the invention isthat the l slidable bolt by reason of the slot 34 presents a surface facing towardthe strikin .bracket but does not-engage the handle itse fonany part thereof as the arm or toggle 50 is a separate pivoted element independent` ofthe handle and loosely pivoted thereto.

Whilel we have described our invention in a specific form, it is to be understood thati various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts as well -as in the proportion thereof without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention to be defined in the claims a pended to and forming a part of this specification. I

Having thus described our invention :we claim as new:

1. In a latch mechanism, a housing in the form of a casing, a slidable bolt movable in said casing, a strikingobracket for engage lt, a sprin mount ment by said slidable in the casing and urging said slida le bolt in engagement with said striking bracket, the spring engaging one end of the casing, the slidable bolt having an intermediate enlargement forming a shoulder for engagement with the opposite end of the spring and a slot in said enlargement, the front of the cas- `ing having an opening, a handle pivoted at- 1n order to retract the bolt when the padlockV asv los

lao

one end in the opening on a vertical axis and having a hand grip at its free end, said pivoted end of the handle being hollowed out at the back -with divergent faces, a toggle 5 pivoted between the top and bottom Walls of said hollowed out portion loosel for movement independently of the han le in the retracting direction by engagement with the face of the slot in the slidable bolt facing 1 opposite the striking bracket when the latter is acting to retract the slidable bolt upon closing'ff the door without movement of the handle, said toggle engaging the opposite face of the hollowed out portion when the n handle is actuated to retract the bolt by engagement of the toggle with the face of the slot disposed toward the striking bracket, the casing having a recessed portion at the forward end receiving the slidable bolt, and a. retaining plate removably securedl over said recess.

2. Ina latch mechanism including a, casing having an opening in its front, a bolt slidable in the casing, a striking bracket for engagement with the bolt and adapted to slide the bolt by such engagement, a spring in the casing normally forcing the bolt toward the striking bracket, means for manually* operating the bolt comprising a lever having one end pivoted in said opening in the front of the casing, said end of the lever extending within the casing so as to fill said opening at all positions of the lever, the inner face of that end of the lever having a slot, the wall of said slot towards the striking bracket forming an abutment, a lever pivoted in said slot to have4 a limited throw away from said abutment wall and a lost ction connection between said lever and the In testimony whereof we aix our signatures.

WILLIAM MATIS HERSCH.

CHRISTOPHER JOHN ANDERSON. 

